Thrilling Victory: Aceves and Mendez Propel UCSB Gauchos to Triumph Over USC!

LOS ANGELES — The No. 16 UC Santa Barbara Baseball team (10-2) played a strong game against USC (9-3), winning 8-1 on Tuesday night. Nathan Aceves had an impressive debut on the mound, pitching five scoreless innings and striking out six batters. On offense, Jonathan Mendez shined with a double, a home run, and three RBIs. Donovann Jackson came in as relief for three innings, and Issac Kim hit his first home run as a Gaucho.

Coach Andrew Checketts was pleased with the team’s performance. “Our offense started strong, and Aceves gave us solid work on the mound,” he said. “Donovann Jackson was excellent from the bullpen, and Mendez really delivered with that big hit late in the game.”

The Gauchos quickly took control, capitalizing on Trojan errors. Xavier Esquer was hit by a pitch to start the first inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a balk. Mendez then singled to bring him home. Jack Holman helped by hustling to break up a double play, allowing Kim to hit a home run, putting Santa Barbara up 3-0.

Aceves faced some pressure in the first but managed to escape without letting any runs score. His performance improved as he settled into the game. He picked off a runner, struck out several batters, and finished strong with six strikeouts overall.

As the game continued, Santa Barbara added more runs in the fifth. Once again, Esquer was hit by a pitch and scored due to a wild pitch that allowed Mendez to reach second safely. Later, Nate Vargas batted in Mendez with a quirky, short double that found the only open space in the field.

Jackson then entered the game and dominated, striking out three batters in the seventh and keeping USC from scoring in the eighth.

In the ninth inning, the Gauchos scored three more runs. LeTrey McCollum got on base with a single, and then Rex DeAngelis laid down a sacrifice bunt. Esquer drove McCollum home, and then Mendez hit a home run, further extending their lead.

Chase Hoover took the mound in the ninth. Although he allowed a run, he struck out two batters, ending the game with a solid performance.

• Mendez nearly hit for the cycle, finishing 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and three RBIs. This season, he has 16 hits, with 13 being extra-base hits.
• Aceves was not the only player making his debut. Jeremiah Crain returned from an injury, playing in right field, while Jack Holman made his first appearance outside of first base.
• Jackson’s relief performance was noteworthy; he has pitched 16 innings this season with an impressive ERA of 1.12, marking him as a key player for the Gauchos.

The Gauchos will return home this weekend to kick off Big West play against CSUN. Games are scheduled for March 7-9, with Friday’s first pitch at 4:05 PM. Entry is free for kids in sixth grade or below with the Yardi Youth Pass. Fans can catch the games live on ESPN+.

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